Upcoming Seminars and Events - March 2006

Reservations required for all seminars

For more information on any of these seminars, contact the Business Development Center at (734) 462-4438.

Watch your mailbox for additional seminar details or log onto our website.

Please note: During inclement weather, seminars will be cancelled if Schoolcraft College closes. Tune to your local news station for information on college closings.

SBTDC

How to Start a Small Business: From Vision to Reality

This two-and-a-half hour seminar is designed for those interested in learning a practical step-by-step process for starting a new business. The session will provide participants with a network and resources to use when questions arise.

$25 per person
9:30 am - Noon
April 5, May 3 or June 7, 2006

6 - 8:30 pm
April 19 or May 17, 2006

How to Write a Business Plan: Your Roadmap to Success

This one-time seminar provides an overview of what is included in a dynamic business plan. It is designed for new and existing business owners who currently do not have a business plan in place. Attendees will receive worksheets that outline the basic items in a business plan, allowing you to complete the plan on your own.

$40 per person
6 - 9 pm
April 12 or June 14, 2006

9:30 am - 12:30 pm
May 10, 2006

How to Grow Your Business: Effective Marketing Techniques for Small Businesses

This three-hour, one-time seminar provides a comprehensive guide to re-evaluating your product or service and effectively pricing, promoting and distributing it. The seminar is designed for new and existing business owners who want to get an edge on the competition and successfully compete in the marketplace. Participants will learn how to identify and retain the right customers, and how to develop a winning annual marketing plan with supporting budget.

$40 per person
6 - 9 pm
April 20, 2006

QuickBooks®: Basics 2004: A Fast Start to Setting up Your Accounting System

QuickBooks: Basic 2004 gives you fast and easy tools to help save time, organize information in one place and manage business finances with confidence. The seminar is designed to give participants hands-on learning experience in setting-up and utilizing QuickBooks®.

$60 per person
6 - 9 pm
TBA

Financing Growth Roundtable

TEAM SBA will debunk the myths and demystify the process of bank financing – in plain English. You will learn how your loan application will be analyzed, what underwriting criteria are used, and how banking regulations affect the decision. We will answer your questions based upon your business model. Over the last five years, TEAM SBA has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs gain a better understanding of the financing process. To help you, we require that you have good credit, a solid business idea, and funds to invest in your business.

No admission charge
9 - 11 am
May 25, 2006

Certified: Woman Business Enterprise

The Michigan Women’s Business Council invites women business owners to learn what it means to be certified as a Women’s Business Enterprise. If you have a product of service that you would like to market to American corporations, here is your chance to explore certification. The Michigan Women’s Business Council is a program of the Center for Empowerment and Economic Development, an SBA Women’s Business Center. To register, please call CEED at (734) 677-1444.

$25 per person
9 - 11 am
April 19, August 16 or December 13, 2006

PTAC

How to Become a Government Contractor

The federal government purchases more than $200 billion of goods and services a year. Find out what it takes to successfully sell your goods and services to the federal government and the state of Michigan. In addition, learn about the services and resources the Procurement Technical Assistance Center has available to help your company with the contracting process.

$40 per person
April 6, May 4 or June 8, 2006
9 am - Noon

Registration Assistance for Government Contractors

PTAC clients looking for assistance completing their Central Contractor Registration, SBA’s Procurement Marketing and Access Network, the State of Michigan Vendor Registration, or any other online registration are invited to the PTAC for this seminar. Counselors will be available to help clients understand and complete their registrations, using the PTAC’s computer lab.

$15 per person
April 20, May 25 or June 15, 2006
9 am - Noon

Federal Supply Schedules: Finding Your Way to the GSA

General Service Administration Federal Supply Schedules are contracts that allow federal customers to acquire more than 4 million products and services directly from more than 8,600 commercial suppliers.

Mike Klewicki, a GSA expert, will educate clients on the many mysteries regarding the GSA procurement arena and Federal Supply Schedules. This class will be valuable to businesses that want to learn about Supply Schedules, buying potential and marketing through a GSA Schedule.

$40 per person
April 18, 2006
9 am - Noon